Hawaiian Names--English Names

Today most people choose a name because "it sounds nice". In ancient Hawaii, and indeed in most traditional societies a name involved more than its sound. A name (inoa) was a possession, an influence for good or evil and perhaps a part of a societies history. Ones inoa was a precious personal possession and also a force in its own right. Although a person possessed his or her name, he or she was also possessed by the name. Once spoken, the inoa assumed a mystical existence and the power to help or harm the bearer. And, so went the belief, the more a name was spoken, the more powerful it came, and the more powerful the influence - good or evil.

Eileen M. Root is a librarian and lives in Kane'ohe with her husband, Umi'umi'puhuluhulu (bushy beard) also known as Barry and an overweight Maine Coon cat Põpilikia, also known as trouble. About this book she says: I became interested in the subject of Hawaiian names because the question "Do you have a book about Hawaiian names?" is asked repeatedly at the public library. A little research revealed that was available consisted mostly of lists of Hawaiinized-English names. These names seemed an insult to the Hawaiian language and at times were even an insult to the person who had 'Hawaiinized' his or her English na